home
by emilypaigecorcoran
Summary: Rachel berry had two fathers. but when one dies, the other is left with the young girl. when he says he has had enough Shelby Corcoran, rachels mother, and English teacher steps in.
1. chapter 1

chapter 1

Rachel berry stared at her hands contemplating her descision. Sure, she didnt want to study for her test, but she needed to, especially if she wanted to get into nyada, and she really wanted to get into nyada. She looked down at the packets of notes, the teachers made it too easy.

The notes were on the plot of her english book. Ms. Corcoran's was a hard class, Rachel decided, and she really did try in english class with her. She let out a breath of air. Detention was never fun, especially the ones for being late, as they were always with Ms. corcoran.

She was only late because she was doing her makeup, which Rachel deemed ten times more important than homeroom. She hid the bags under her eyes, she didnt sleep. But what teenager did? her father died during her 4th grade year so now it was only her and her papa. Her father Hiram didnt necessarily like Rachel alot of the time. He called her dumb and worthless, and she never understood what she did. She wasnt Hiram's child she found out, the entire 'Mixing with a turkey baster' story was a complete lie.

Rachel looked at the clock. 2:50. she had only been in ms. Corcoran's room for 4 minutes. Rachel looked at the young teacher, ms. Corcoran was pretty, she decided looking back down at the notes, humming a tune from her favorite movie, funny girl.

Shelby Corcoran looked up at the young girl. She was the only one who bothered to show up to detention. Shelby wasnt even sure why rachel was always in detention, the young girl was seemingly as sweet as pie. She shrugged it off. It wasnt her buisiness, she decided, going back to grading. When she got to Rachel's test, she was shocked by the grade. the girl had barely gotten 5 out of 50 right. She shook her head and looked up at the small girl who was studying like her life depended on it. Shelby caught the gaze of the small girl and motioned for her to come to the desk that the strategically placed on a side wall of the classroom . As Rachel stood up she saw the girl's posture was rigid, her arms clenched around the notes packet Shelby had given out earlier that day. Her heart ached for the young girl seeing Rachel that distraught. The young girl sat next to her as she reviewed the test with her. The girl was still not getting what she was saying, but once they finished, detention was over, and shelby had to go coach vocal adrenaline sister team, the new directions, in the middle school auditorium.

Rachel sat on a bench outside, waiting for her father to pick her up. An hour passed, and then it turned into five, and she was shivering in the cold, holding out hope that her father was on his way. Rachel heard footsteps as she was slowly falling asleep.

"Rachel?" Shelby said trying to see the young girl's face.

"Yes ms. Corcoran? "rachel whispered sitting up straighter. The woman was okay, but most certainly not the person she wanted to talk to in the moment.

"Where's your dad rachel?" Shelby asked sternly, sitting next to the tiny girl who was slightly shaking from the late November chill.

"I have no idea. " Rachel said, looking down at her hands. she wasnt able to speak to her father all day. Mrs. pierce drove her to school before he woke up, and she didnt have a phone to contact him on.

"Have you been here the entire time?" shelby questioned, and the small girl nodded. Shelby's face fell. "Rachel you should have told me, i wouldve waited with you." Shelby said taking off her jacket and removing the fleece she had underneath, handing it to rachel. The young girl took it and wore it gratefully, whispering a small thankyou.

"I knew he wouldn't have come. i knew." rachel whispered slightly turning away from her teacher.

"come on, ill drive you home." shelby said standing, grabbing her keys out of her bag.

The ride to the young girl's house was a quiet one, with only humming as the noise. Shelby looked at the passenger seat. the girl had fallen asleep, and shelby found her to be really cute while she was sleeping. As shelby pulled in front of the house, she realized that something was oddly familiar. she walked up to the door knocking fiercly. who would leave a 11 year old in the cold like that? and why didn't she have a coat. A familiar face opened the door.

"Hiram? " shelby asked in shock as he opened the door. the same man she had been a surrogate for, 11 years ago , paid no attention to his daughter, _and_ he reaked of alcohol.

"what the fuck?" hiram said slamming the door in her face, ignoring the fact that she was holding rachel in her arms. the young girl was underweight shelby noticed, as she shifted her in her arms. shelby shook her head, why was he being so rude? he should have no reason to hate her. she had the right to hate him. The young teacher looked back down at the young girl. _her_ _daughter_ she realised, smiling fondly. she put the girl back in the car, then testing the door knob. it was still unlocked. she looked around in the living room, it was a complete mess. she then made her way upstairs, where she assumed the young girl's room would be.

she tried every door until she found one that was open. she could see that it once was painted a pale pink, but now there was dirt on the walls, a small pink sleeping bag, and a pile of clothes in the corner, neatly folded, but they looked like they hadnt been washed in weeks. shelby frowned and took out her phone, taking pictures of the living environment of Rachel's. she dialed her sister's number, praying that she would pick up. after a couple seconds of ringing, shelbys older sister clara picked up.

"shelly what's up?"

"i -i found her. " shelby said rushed. "but i need your help ok? i think somethings wrong."

"Pookie talk to me."

"its her dad, and her room is just-ugh. its horrifying. she's 11!"

"Shelby rose, calm down and breathe, we can get her out but you need to understand that there is a proper protocol to be followed.dont do anything rash."

"fine mrs. lawyer." shelby said rolling her eyes,and hanging up. picking out an outfit, and pajamas for the young girl to wear was easy. hiram was drunk and she definitely didnt want to put rachel in danger. she went back down the stairs and into her car, placing rachels clothes in the passenger seat. she looked back to see the young girl still asleep, and she assumed that she wouldn't be waking up anytime soon. shelby drove to her house on the other side of lima. it was a silent drive, and shelby was left with her thoughts.

she finally had her kid back, which she was thrilled about, but she didn't know at what cost.

"Ms. Corcoran?" Rachel asked squirming in her seat rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. it was a friday night, and shelby wanted to watch her weekly movie, but she wasnt sure about it, sspecially seeing that rachel was now awake.

"yeah kiddo?" shelby said turning towards the little girl in the back seat.

"am i home yet?" rachel asked still slumping on the window.

"hopefully." shelby whispered grabbing the clothes from the passenger's seat.

"ms. Corcoran i wanna go home." she murmered slowly sinking out of the car, dragging her feet, shuffling behind shelby, as she opened the door. the shorter of the two women slunked in the door as she realized that she was not going home anytime soon.

"Rachel come eat." shelby yelled 5 minutes later from the kitchen.

rachel stood and slowly walked to where she heard her teachers voice. she saw sandwiches plated at the table where the woman was sitting. "ms. Corcoran why am i here?"

"why dont you tell me?" shelby stated sipping her coffee. rachel looked at her hands and back at her sandwich.

"he's not nice." she whispered almost inaudibly.

"what does that mean rachel?"

"ms. corcoran i wanna go home." rachel said growing frustrated.

"rachel theres nothing to be frustrated about."

"im not frustrated!"rachel quipped pushing her sandwich away from her.

"oh yeah sure."shelby said rolling her eyes.

"theres nothing to be sarcastic for." rachel added sassily.

"sweetie im trying to help."

"hes not nice," the young girl repeated tugging on her left ear, a nervous habit that shelby had observed in her english class.

"Rachel what does that mean?" the concerned teacher asked reaching across the table, holding her hand. rachel burst into tears, solidifying shelbys suspicions. shelby jumped across the table, holding the young girl as she cried. "ms. Corcoran i-i dont wanna go back really, please, dont." rachel sobbed still clinging to shelby.

"i promise you that you're safe now, okay but i need to sort of rip off a bandaid, okay i was your surrogate, rach im your mom." shelby rushed out, feeling the girl start sobbing even more. "rach im so sorry, but you're here now." shelby said with tears threatening to flow out of her eyes. Shelby felt her daughter snuggle into her as she said those words, and this time it was tears of joy that stung at her eyes. "hey- hey, hey can you look at me?" she asked when she felt rachel start hiccuping. "im soooo glad youre here ok? and hopefully its for good. im gonna wash your pajamas and clothes for tommorow and you can take a shower. and please call me shelby? or mom, whatever you want. okay? go shower baby." she said standing the small girl up. she was barely five foot and shelby found her to be like a little doll.

"okay." rachel whispered as shelby showed her to the bathroom. she closed the door and shelby ran off to get the clothes in the wash and grabbed rachel a towel.

she heard the water shut off and she ran up to give her the towel. opening the door and blindly reaching into the steamy room hoping that rachel would grab onto the towel. When rachel didnt grab on she saw that she would have to go in. she closed her eyes as to make rachel comfortable. rachel roled her eyes and took the towel.

"im surprised that youre not giving me the 'ive seen it before' speech," rachel said wrappimg the towle around her petite frame.

"why would i do that?" shelby questioned crossing her arms over her chest.

"they always did." rachel whispered walking out of the bathroom.

"rachel what do you mean?" shelby asked and rachel shrugged her off, allowing herself to be led to a guest room that was now hers for the time being.

"do you have dvds, i sorta watch one every friday." rachel said through the closed door as she changed.

"i usually watch funny girl is that good with you?" shelby responded as she leaned on the door.

"fumny, trhats what i always watch," rachel said peeking through the door, then opening it completely. maybe it wasnt going to be so bad here.


	2. 2

chapter two

the two women raced down the stairs popping the 1968 film's dvd into the player. rachel grabbed the remote and set up the film as shelby got the snacks. rachel was excited, she had never met someone as excited to see funny girl as she was. she examined the living room, picking out pieces to remember. her eyes settled on a glass case near the walkway to the kitchen. and then she saw it. an actual tony, in all of its glory. she subconciously walked up to it, pressing her face against it, trying to get a better look. why hadnt she put it together? shelby corcoran was the tony award winning actress who originated the role of elphaba in wicked. how did she not realize? rachel was lost in wonder that she hadnt heard shelby come up behind her.

"close your mouth, youll catch flies." shelby smirked. her daughter was a fangirl. figures, it takes one to know one.

"you have tony? You have to sing for me. please?" rachel said pulling out the puppy eyes.

"right now?" shelby whined leaning on the door frame.

"fine later?" rachel pleaded, unsure of how much time she had.

"of course love bug," shelby said plopping herself on the couch a box of raisinettes in her hand, and a pack of twizlers for rachel. she pressed play and watched rachel as she sung along and snugggled into her. she handed the twizzlers to the young girl. The girl ignored them ad she continued to sing along to the movie very quietly, she had learned her lesson about singing at her father's. Shelby was watching her daughters concentrated face as she strained to remember what line came next in the dialouge. as the movie came to a close, rachel was fighting sleep.

"no shelby," she whispered with her eyes partially closed, as shelby turned the movie off.

"yes come on rachel." shelby whispered picking her daughter up and into her room.

"no dont leave me." rachel said tiredly as shelby laid her down in the bed.

"ill stay until you fall asleep.okay baby?"

shelby felt rachel nod and snuggle into her.

"hold me?" rachel said as her eyes fluttered as she fell asleep for good.

"always." shelby said bringing her in closer and kissing her forehead. "g'night baby girl."shelby said falling asleep with the kid in her arms.

the morning came and shelbys alarm clock went off at 8 :30. it was saturday, and boy were the two women busy. rachel was still not moving when shelby shut the alarm off much to her dismay. the young girl groaned as she continued to lay on top of her mother's stomach.

"shelby?" rachel said wiping the sleep out of her eyes, continuing to lay on shelbys stomach.

"yes kid, now can you get off your killing me kiddo." shelby chuckled as the tiny girl rolled off running her fingers through her hair.

"shelby do i need to go back?"

"not making any promises baby girl but ill try okay? thats what we are working on today!"the young teacher said enthusiastically.

"i have a question?" rachel said as she plopped back onto the bed, she waited for shelby to nod before continuing, "why does everyone call you the ice queen? youre not mean or anything." the small girl pondered her head shifting to the side. it was an innocent question really, but shelby was shocked. she hated that nickname.

"oh about that, ill tell you another time baby girl."

"sing? you promised shelby."rachel said pouting, rolling back onto her mother's stomach.

"i cant sing while you're on my stomach." shelby chuckled as the pushed the girl to straddle her.

"can you still hold me though?" rachel asked reaching her arms up to her mother as she stood up.

"fine but then youre getting dressed okay?" shelby said, walking down the stairs, as shelby started to sing defying gravity to the awestruck girl.

"again?" rachel asked patting shelbys shoulder. "please?" she pouted.

"in the car okay? go get dressed."

"okay shelby." the young girl said running up to her room to find the pile of clothes. rachel couldnt help the smile forming on her face. she was so happy that she didnt have to deal with her drunk dad, if only for a day. she carefully placed the clothes on careful not to skim it on the bruise forming on her lowerback from when she fell the day before, racing back down the stairs. when she scanned the first floor, she realized that shelby was still getting ready. she ran back up to her mothers room, watching as her mother quickly curled her hair. "shelby?"

"oh hey love bug." shelby said absentmidedly as she threw on her flip flops, handing a sweatshirt to rachel. it was warmer than the day before, or else shelby would have given her a heavier coat

"where are we going?" the young girl asked as she muffled her voice with the sweatshirt she was pulling onto her bady. it smelled like her mom she realized. she most definitely wasn't giving it back.

"lawyers, and then we'll see if we can go shopping ok?"

"really? we can go shopping?" rachel asked with stars in her eyes. "ive never been shopping before!" she said bouncing up onto he toes. shelby internally was fuming from that new piece of information. what little girl had never been shopping? shelby smiled at the young girl.

"of course! we can even go out to eat." she said as she watched rachel's face fall. being her teacher, she knew the young girl allergies, but she didnt understand why her daughter was so afraid. had something happened?

"can we go now?" rachel asked as she leaned on the doorway. she just wanted shelby to hold her right now, but she was 11, she could walk on her two feet.

"of course."shelby smiled, taking her daughter's hand and picking her up. she assumed that she had read the signs right because rachel snuggled into her.

she put rachel into the car seing that rachel had fallen asleep yet again. she looked back to see the young girl softly whispering to herself. what she heard was disturbing her, her girl was asking someone to stop something, to not touch her, and shelby was trying to figure out what that meant. shelby pulled up to the lawyer's office, unbuckling Rachel and placing her in her arms. she slowly shook her awake before entering the office with a groggy rachel. she sat down answering a spew of calls, and trying to get custody tranfered. eventually she broke hiram, and she got him to hand over his rights and reinstate hers. hell he could probbably gone to jail based on what she had heard from rachel. and rachel decided to change her name to corcoran. it was a big deal to both of them, and shelby made it a point to smother the girl in kisses when they reached the car.

"momma stop it!"rachel giggled. she had never had anyone be this openly affectionate towards her, and it felt nice if she were to admit it felt amazing."were going home now?" rachel asked still smiling from the fact that she had called shelby mom. and she liked it.

"no we are going to the mall!"shelby said excitedly.

"fine then home?" rachel said with hope in her eyes.

shelby was still persistent, "nope. then lunch. where do you want to go?"

"oh can we go to kinchleys? its this pizza place i used to go with santana. please shelby?"

"that sounds good to me!"shelby said circling the parking lots. "son of a bitch." shelby said when someone cut her off, taking her spot, and not realizing that rachel was still awake and listening. "shoot dont repeat that rachel," she said as they pulled into a parking spot. all rachel wanted to do was cling to her mothers side, but at the same time, they were in public, and she really didnt want to see anyone she knew. "so where do you want to go first? we need to buy an entire wardrobe so start trying things on."her mother said pulling out things that she assumed rachel would like, and the day went on like that until finally they were done. rachel was happy that her mother took her to kinchleys after all.

" can we get to take home momma, i wanna go home!" rachel whined from the backseat. she had never looked like such a child until then with tears in her eyes, as she rubbed the sleep out of them.

"do you want me to read to you when we get home?" shelby asked as she called in an order for delivery, starting to drive home.

"yes please," rachel said yawning and leaning her head against the window. "sing to me momma," she said tiredly, hoping that it would put her to sleep. her mothers singing was the prettiest she had heard, and she had heard barbra streissand.

"ok rachel." shelby said as she started quietly singing i dreamed a dream. she looked back when she was done to see rachel asleep.

they settled down and ate, and were now in rachels bed as shelby began to read. " _lawyers, i suppose, were children once."_


	3. 3

chapter 3

rachel sat in her room, staring at her ceiling. usually at night, she could sleep interrupted, but for some reason unknown to her, she just couldnt sleep that night. she debated going in with her mother, but she couldnt bring herselft to do it. she sighed and sat up. rifling through her backpack she found her book for english class. the one that she was sure that she was going to be transfered out of. she turned on her bedside lamp and read, and she kept reading until around 9 when shelby woke up and decided to check on her presumably sleeping child, only to find her reading her assigned book.

shelby frowned, her daughter was still failing her class. maybe a little push was needed, but rachel tried, she really did, shelby saw that now. how had rachel read that far into the book already? sure it was only 9 chapters, but it was a fairly advanced book. which reminded shelby, why was her eleven year old in an eighth grade english class? maybe that was the actual problem. shelby had a lot of talks to be had with her daughter, including one about joining the glee club. rachel was shelby's mini me as she called it, and she most likely could sing, but shelby didnt want to push it.

she decided to make her presence known then, clearing her throat. rachel dropped the copy of animal farm on her head, then placing it on her bedside table."hi momma."she said smiling slightly.

"rachel did you read the entire night?" shelby asked sternly.

"only from like one i swear, i just couldnt sleep."

"why didnt you wake me up?"

"because you were sleeping?" rachel said ina _duh_ tone.

"but you werent, so next time come get me please?" shelby said gently as she sat down next to her daughter in bed, kissing her forehead.

"but momma. that makes no sense." rachel whispered picking her book up again. shelby pushed the book away wrapping her arms around the young girl.

"love bug can you listen to me?"shelby asked waiting for an answer. when rachel nodded, she continued. "no matter what goes on, if you cant sleep, or if you just want me to hold you, whatever it is just come get me ok?"

"but momma-can you hold me?"rachel asked reaching her arms out. "this is nice. no ones ever held me-at least like this before." she mumbled.

"why how did your dad hold you? rachel-did he hurt you?"

"whats that mean?" rachel asked playing with the ends of her mothers hair.

"did he do anything that made you feel weird baby?"

"well he hit me, but it was nothing-he was sorta weak."

shelby sighed, weak was one word not to describe hiram berry. "rachel did he do anything else?"shelby asked, fearing the worst.

"um-no." rachel rushed, turning away from her mother.

"rachel."shelby said sternly, turning the girl's face to hers. "talk to me"

"it felt funny momma, i didnt like it."rachel said with a single tear of frustration falling down her cheek as shelby pulled her even closer. shelby just let her cry as she held her.

"hey, want me to read baby girl?" shelby asked as she felt the girl start hiccuping.

"yes please momma." rachel said rubbing her eyes.

" _'atticus he was real nice...'_

 _his hands under my chin, pulling up the cover, tucking it around me._

 _'most people are scout, when you finally see them.'_

 _he turned out the light, and went into jem's room and he would be there all night, and he would be there when jem waked up in the morning."_ shelby finished looking up at rachel who was now alright and stood up, picking the young girl into her arms.


End file.
